Science Nugget—Observatory Operations: Setting the Stage
  David Silva

As described elsewhere in this Newscast, the TMT project is already running small observatories every night on five different mountaintops. These observatories operate robotically, picking out target stars under automated control, collecting data and relaying the information to local and remote archives. When systems fail or degrade, TMT personnel must journey, often on short notice, over long distances to make repairs or adjustments. This continuous, night-after-night operation must meet demanding reliability standards and produce scientifically reliable data, suitable for any reputable scientific journal. The figure shows an interesting byproduct of this program—an image of Comet McNaught caught by one of our all-sky cameras. (For more on site testing, see the Focus On article. For more on the all sky camera see the July Newscast.) This spectacular naked eye comet was the toast of the Southern Hemisphere in January.

The TMT site testing program sets the stage for future operations at the TMT Observatory. After all, TMT will be located at one of these five sites! So, what will operating TMT be like? How will a TMT astronomer work?

As time passes during the night, the astronomer at the telescope often thinks of herself as a lone explorer, struggling mightily to unveil the mysteries of the universe. Like many other adventurers, it is the sense of being tested against nature that attracts many astronomers to lonely mountaintops all over the world.

Yet, like those other explorers, astronomers do not travel alone—they rely on an extensive support pyramid. How well this observatory operations support infrastructure works often determines whether or not the science quests of individual astronomers are successful. And so it shall be at the Thirty Meter Telescope.

The most visible part of the pyramid will be staff astronomers and system operators working at night to ensure that the observatory functions properly and efficiently. TMT users preparing for their observations will find a Web portal with links to instrument handbooks, data calibration cookbooks, recent measures of system performance, and FAQ areas. They will also be able to interact with and seek advice from their fellow users and TMT staff personnel using a Web-based user forum.

The ability of TMT users to explore the universe will be regularly improved by adding new instruments or upgrading existing instruments. This instrument development program will involve many institutions and hundreds of people to deliver a new instrument every two or three years. Some of these instruments are comparable in size to instruments at the Gemini, Keck, and VLT Observatories but some will be huge—up to 500 m3 in volume!

To keep the observatory in good maintenance, to solve unexpected problems quickly, and to improve system performance continuously, around 40 engineers and technicians will work every day at the TMT site during the day. These people must have workshops, tools, vehicles, etc. for their work. Due to the remoteness of the TMT site, many of these people may have to sleep close to the TMT site. So, TMT will supply beds, food service, and places to recover from a hard day’s work.

Like all small companies, TMT will also have administration and facilities operations people: from housekeepers and custodians to accountants and bookkeepers. Some of these people may work in offices hundreds of kilometers from the actual observatory—yet they are as vital to TMT success as the scientific and technical staff.

So next time you think of the lonely explorers of the universe, heroically struggling with the great mysteries of our time, also remember the support team that prepares the way, that sets the stage, for some of the greatest adventure stories that will ever be told.